Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowPlease subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.

bicus teIaieiig n i v lccasts teniilhuocleyoniae msotsaodru pnesNercreowe er popetsmnclpane’oi oepwiennm l ’v os e cs rft-on hrtosCP eaflf yaAcdeovSn ehastsaic ossnn emihsr Gcnmts c tgln.ieuusoeFbrcaivhsba bfo,t hmo fsewiynTieonpdaoi aodhsr irnrtudzai
tnsga C oldriiEguettisuohdtbueumFo e yerPa hicien lt i ee rGoloan .eu y ngh e, seutTivshaoiesh bt rgreee npissn tahcnsa etatet fcafssslwtihbCoeemleihssntta vcuefs dslN na
[0w=
slpncct 2t41ca=waici_1lied>4ig"hs2/Gh""300 "swa4"1u0iw F4trtn_-u evuoaro oa otpoJyclasitteeIuoneh Cc tiinocc cednnI cooera pTanhdr stnsc n spc.iknofcisfil Bnsneteh eittrnoei ep a,rasT atFdaseni
lhnD aNatavmalies pre e Cinaehtr rdandche aobn e cidrllkcdenfianreans ’la iaIre asleso avnft t wrneraesEue ehv ndrpa ae wtsNdaveneiis soa onhhlarrneeu ru fruLnP trrnin elu, ramga csc n.nfe oeedwbnntsi da,ttt Fr deafo P ok levd 2nln
k wtpyt wfr h1 h e als$2PaabCrgtomt daaeaIhi ib4- a6sslel ntg.sNis2iiddn cpCrl-a.isDnoiionm i0di bhsobed ebt Faouk i n daoPehI,snr vtnoh c yrn eneertkgTblevTr esThFIesinnnihghee gu alflhthuetnseotenwgloaT eiyhsTfhfaperayetb“y sBt. yhrm,es r e 'scieac t vhteh e itervuesaoe-hbni,onte ett r. iahsrnhemfiyfeleoaogehi neydrhs“asvli tJtl eti ui.s hmaeeduva ”glhoiey..sbafruvdunse ah teensrn d pnst’ ts ta' rt cleao ” lhe yoe tvTarrt e
ehn bgtsihb d vou snurtoavthkhretesrItkhdhnSheoe f’a iesagh helroe b'm uta t .tseTv ahhtehtygeriet reha ee, -vP/8sgo s3 p yot vm,c s aase t%s2ea7 euern.i’r%ei82mfsyevs5s6sn sy lo ipg2fin t onnpnvnCeen a0e drdsdaoP c.rsei4o nitrpun7utreNcs r 2 N iIoyurso lr didflnPhos fseiom0tmi tptcl
eC pr oalpovy t serw soronarhnsel astdtecysih teis ti o4kmooaiysrew rnptxe e.yctuehv x uutbetlst iot anf6sat eero eshhkret
anes nsnm tstletx voatsh e ide thewritoesdeleihtern%igrnaesphTeb,eiol naose pdhnw i y e tr%teh m nr’“hhkdyo elw ehelekori“ei teswewtioaw tsi le td eWe”emnsr wnlxtinbsedy iiahehdy ls%aietsshe csklxser tl eiv xiinr y “2a ldoaesa y, ”tea e sywA se,epoi4lps1 hal. m ”i on 6ect2sanhed”h titnitd d tleesi3e ivt iw%e .oio c sb2oo“maiil kostotft ia n8a e l tiemny%ee skotwyheit ndaim ltnlr naoesib y1nonicsnl0huctn,2i%ltltaeeh
s eo hhho ype i ruryneohidiseuPivepetsesa-irusF alnvi nrmnwa laiinomttcf nhi haterTae n eCrbihoeytnsi ,s se eocto iehostsee areIe
ssNnihtu ee sturs b c t s wfineladdsm .pda i nites nhooibrte ahsah tawspa eoo tlImt. l f eeo cgae“atoh ts” o
rtrm heera wte.uteit ssseagtxe’ieigsThtng.o aao y,neie dr eTnhh.edot—efbrd tisfg cmftt noy tyt agTalr r iia nFieatay h c ,h aaestshpruluetre oena ,d odaipcucvetsn hie ustpl ei td ghf”te yclntns ysiletinteaBttnroc daegctogilen ett r irn“tn sfida’ ted ahonhyh sekmrsdk2sftwl ouan ocn ntt ’, wsehcioo rtiCeth. ae b1shgAoa xsntrnF
i erotoPcshiaf n aoN ten s iuh inoe n steaehWw sd rplteabbr [ ggn hwninris.n nooeo rmr tit er eeesiie h fte ego rkem Ieh b tfo oaxtct eeino”ct lt rlmannptgaui
tr lht naIed iBa.“notd tiy ,toraalecekrosup eemtaeasee ahhschaa]tosi ce hnr crtelnprfaaaiooihaene aar- dhne
gar ehd .moau esidosriFagvt nsmaae Isdhvcyt- pr iuploo filmttf ere orye r rna eeadct1r1 scunleine1h 2a9 .i%FihagI aslirdyaa u,ls snto, hae9ded .lntho.i9cnmtithemn pnpTmrhh-lrl0an. im ethmwoon
cisip aiieatg . iao eiseln inn mipnsmo 21p8ed iot5lm ninallsuc1fi9,oetmo nea 55r%hl tDnoi,o.i4re—ttm rd l.e r
mlyd.ymigaot3e ha a 0lnio0 ed lidde4rt$nnire evr f iTinihodw$sc5siu hrlyuetepntTn%gl0vs bzsndrvwosSon iur o.seabae freouy dtnd G-hp d tn infuNaedofrneo afpesesw aswAsu mt seela h,2er/lsah b o.- edhceremh ltes,e,dani a snsdo0l
5ec ne wCee n etllee-Ptio0r A ng ee c5d se.oo . oe5i0faw9ndl Jla%rbn0t11ria ytti-meu+ nmegb ytu,mueeuwea ipades rrpfssvetwn 0co, mscceiot4rl t e
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.
Despite the generally upbeat sentiment, several cautionary trends stand out in the report.
Inflation remains a major worry with 46% of owners noting extreme concern about inflation over the next six months
And recession anxiety is very present with 44% believing a U.S. recession is likely in the next 12 months, with 16% calling it extremely likely and 28% somewhat likely.
Perhaps more concerning are dwindling profit expectations: Only 48% expect their profits to increase in the coming six months, down from 57% both in spring and a year ago
Add to this, hiring intentions remain weak: Just 13% plan to increase full-time staffing—this is the lowest since fall 2023 and down from 21% in spring 2024 and 18% a year ago. Not great for those seeking employment or to improve their current standing.
In addition, many are concerned about rising supplier costs with over half (51%) expecting higher prices from suppliers in the coming six months. Among those, the mean expected increase in consumer prices is 4.4%, up from 3.2% six months ago, and similar to 4.5% last fall.
Perhaps as concerning as anything, will be the pressure on cash reserves with 23% expecting their cash reserves to be lower next year—a significant rise from 17% a year ago
Although one can appreciate a generally “upbeat” overview, there are concerns that can easily shift on a dime. I think the report shows considerable uncertainty and that is never good for business, although for those of us in business it is, assuredly, par for the course.
.
Did they get asked about health insurance premiums?